Double Tap Accessible Media Inc.

In this episode of Double Tap on YouTube hosts Steven Scott and Shaun Preece dive into the world of keyboards, specifically focusing on a unique product that brings the tactile typing experience back to modern smartphones. They interview Jeff Gadway from Clicks Tech, discussing the innovative keyboard accessory for iPhones that mimics the beloved BlackBerry keyboard. This product, showcased at CES, has garnered attention for its potential benefits, especially within the blind and visually impaired community. Jeff shares the backstory of Kliqs, highlighting the blend of expertise from consumer technology and specialist tech products that brought this idea to life.

The conversation shifts gears to discuss Braille and its significance for blind and partially sighted individuals. They bring in Jake from the Perkins School for the Blind, who shares his journey with Braille and its impact on his education and future career aspirations. The conversation emphasizes the importance of Braille literacy, the challenges of accessing Braille education, and the role of technology in enhancing Braille learning.

Lastly, the hosts explore the latest features in Android 15, focusing on accessibility improvements like fingerprint unlock guidance for visually impaired users and enhanced support for Braille displays. They discuss how these updates aim to make Android devices more accessible and user-friendly for the blind and visually impaired community.

Get ahead of the conversation and check out the Double Tap YouTube channel every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday on the platform which you can find using this link: [https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleTapVideo]

In this episode of Double Tap, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece get ready to take a break for the holidays, promising a lineup of great episodes for May.

Listeners' emails bring up various topics, including sighted assumptions leading to a funny misunderstanding at work, the usability of the AI assistant Pi, and concerns over TikTok's influence and data privacy. They also discuss the all-terrain cane and its potential new version and share personal stories and tips for enjoying nature and ensuring safety.

The episode wraps up with a heartfelt appreciation for the Double Tap team, especially Grace and Laura, who play crucial roles behind the scenes. The hosts express gratitude to the entire AMI team and their listeners, setting a warm and inclusive tone for the show's community.

Keep in touch by emailing us feedback@doubletaponair.com or call 1-877-803-4567 and leave us a voicemail. You can also find us across social media.

In this episode of Double Tap, Steven Scott flies solo but brings on a special guest, Kate Crohan, a seasoned teacher for children at Perkins School for the Blind.

Their conversation delves deep into the world of Braille, exploring its significance, challenges, and future. Kate shares her extensive experience, from her early days teaching newly visually impaired adults at the Carroll Center for the Blind to her current role at Perkins. They discuss the emotional and practical aspects of learning Braille, particularly its role in accepting vision loss and gaining independence.

Kate emphasizes the importance of Braille beyond just reading books; it's about labelling, navigating public spaces, and even personal enjoyment, like creating drawings or enjoying tactile jewelry. The discussion also touches on the challenges of teaching Braille, the debate between QWERTY and Perkins keyboards, and the role of technology in enhancing Braille literacy.

Steven and Kate explore the concern that audio might overshadow the need for Braille, but they also see technology as a beacon of hope for its future. They stress the importance of Braille for employment and independence, especially for individuals with additional disabilities like hearing loss. The conversation concludes with a promotion of an upcoming YouTube interview with Jake, a student at Perkins School for the Blind, who shares his connection to Braille and his aspirations for the future.

Keep in touch by emailing us feedback@doubletaponair.com or call 1-877-803-4567 and leave us a voicemail. You can also find us on social media.

In this episode of Double Tap, hosts Steven Scott and Shaun Preece dive into two exciting tech developments that are making waves in the world of accessible technology.

First up, they discuss the much-anticipated arrival of Audible support on the Victor Reader Stream 3, a feature that has been eagerly awaited by the blind and partially sighted community. This update not only brings Audible books to the device but also introduces several quality-of-life improvements, such as sorting books in alphabetical order on the bookshelf, faster SD card loading times, and a suspend mode to save battery life and speed up wake times. The update signifies a significant leap forward in making digital reading more accessible and enjoyable for users.

The second big story is the launch of Meta AI in the UK, a development that has the hosts buzzing with excitement. Steven shares his firsthand experience with the Meta Ray-Ban glasses, demonstrating their ability to provide instant, accurate descriptions of his surroundings, from identifying a Rodecaster Pro audio mixer to recognizing a "phone banish box." The glasses not only offer a groundbreaking way for users to interact with their environment through AI but also introduce the possibility of video calls using the glasses' built-in camera.

As they wrap up, the hosts touch on other tech updates, including new features for Zoom recorders that enhance accessibility for users who are blind or partially sighted, and the anticipation around the Kliks keyboard, a device that promises to bring back the tactile typing experience reminiscent of BlackBerry keyboards.

Keep in touch by emailing us feedback@doubletaponair.com or call 1-877-803-4567 and leave us a voicemail. You can also find us on social media.

In this episode of Double Tap, hosts Steven Scott and Shaun Preece dive into a variety of tech topics, kicking off with an apology from Steven to Apple users for potentially causing a widespread need to reset Apple IDs - the conversation takes a humorous turn as they speculate on the cause and impact.

They then shift to discussing the implications of passwords in today's digital age, advocating for the adoption of passkeys as a more convenient and secure alternative to traditional passwords. The episode also delves into the practicality of iPads for users who are blind, debating whether the device's screen real estate and iPadOS offer a substantially different experience from iPhones for VoiceOver users.

The conversation takes an exciting turn with listener Gregg Hayes' detailed review of the Meta Ray-Ban glasses. Gregg, who has access to the AI features not yet available in the UK where Steven and Shaun live, demonstrates the glasses' capabilities, including asking for the weather, identifying objects, and navigating a strip mall with voice commands. He highlights how the glasses integrate with social media, music services, and enable hands-free operation, making them a potential game-changer for users who are blind or partially sighted. Gregg's review sparks a discussion on the future of specialized devices, as mainstream products like the Meta Ray-Ban glasses begin to offer similar functionalities at a more affordable price.

Keep in touch by emailing us feedback@doubletaponair.com or call 1-877-803-4567 and leave us a voicemail. You can also find us on social media.

In this episode of Double Tap, hosts Steven Scott and Shaun Preece dive into an array of topics which lead into an insightful discussion on Tape It, a recorder app designed initially for musicians but has found a niche within the blind and partially sighted community.

The creators of Tape It hadn't initially focused on accessibility, but after receiving feedback from a Canadian user who is blind, they realized the app's potential for a broader audience. This led them to learn about and implement VoiceOver features, significantly improving the app's usability for users.

Steven talks to Thomas Walther, co-founder of the app, to chat about how Tape It harnesses the iPhone microphones to deliver high-quality audio recordings. Thomas also shares the journey of discovering the blind community's interest in the app and the steps taken to make it more accessible.

Keep in touch by emailing us feedback@doubletaponair.com or call 1-877-803-4567 and leave us a voicemail. You can also find us on social media.